58 Pa. Code Ch. 183 — Rules of Racing

REGISTRATION AND LICENSURE § 183.1. Registration. All matters relating to the registration of standardbred horses, unless otherwise provided for herein, shall be governed by the Rules of the United States Trotting Association. Pennsylvania stallions, in order to be eligible for P…

VIOLATIONS § 183.11. Liability. A person or association licensed by the Commission or a person or association subject to the jurisdiction of the Commission violating this part shall be liable and subject to penalties unless otherwise limited in and by this part. It is the duty an…

RACING, FARM OR STABLE NAMES § 183.111. Registration. (a) The provisions of these § § 183.111—183.113 (relating to racing, farms, or stable names) shall be in accordance with United States Trotting Association Rule 8. (b) A racing, farm, corporation, or stable name may be used by…

§ 183.112. Limitations. No more than one stable may be registered under the same name. The Commission may prohibit the use of any name which is misleading to the public or unbecoming to the sport. Cross References This section cited in 58 Pa. Code § 183.111 (relating to registrat…

§ 183.113. Liabilities. All persons listed in a registered stable shall be liable for entry fees and all penalties against horses raced under such stable name. If one of the persons listed under such stable name is suspended, all the horses in such stable shall be suspended. Cros…

§ 183.12. Attempt to violate. An attempt to violate the law or this part falling short of actual accomplishment, shall constitute an offense and, upon conviction, is punishable as if consummated.

ELIGIBILITY AND CLASSIFICATION § 183.121. Registration of ownership. All horses shall be registered in current ownership in accordance with the conditions provided in Rule 26 of the United States Trotting Association as required in PSHRC Rule 2. The owner or owners shall, upon th…

§ 183.122. Issuance of eligibility certificates. All matters relating to the issuance, procedures and fees for eligibility certificates shall be governed in accordance with U.S.T.A. Rule 9, including information required from horses racing at Canadian tracks and horses that have …

§ 183.123. Tampering with eligibility certificates. No unauthorized person shall tamper with eligibility certificates. Any winnings, after the tampering, may be ordered forfeited and the offending party may be fined or suspended, or both. Cross References This section cited in 58…

§ 183.124. Corrections on eligibility certificates. Corrections on said certificates may be made only by one of the judges, the Commission or a representative of the United States Trotting Association. Persons making corrections shall affix their initials and date thereon. Cross …

§ 183.125. Return of eligibility certificates—E.I.A. If an eligibility or validation certificate has been issued and it is determined thereafter that the horse for which the certificate has been issued has equine infectious anemia or is a carrier thereof, the certificate must be …

§ 183.126. Telegraphic declarations. (a) No horse shall be declared in to race except as hereinafter stated without first having an elibigility certificate placed on file with the race secretary. Telegraphic declarations may be sent and accepted in accordance with § 183.191 (rela…

§ 183.127. Conditioned races. For purposes of eligibility a racing season or racing year shall be the calendar year. Conditions shall not be written in such a way that any horse is deprived of an opportunity to race in a normal preference cycle. Where the word ‘‘preferred’’ is us…

§ 183.128. Time records or bars prohibited. No time records or bars shall be used as an element of eligibility. Cross References This section cited in 58 Pa. Code § 181.1 (relating to definitions).

§ 183.129. Date eligibility determined. Horses must be eligible when entries close, but winnings on the closing date of eligibility shall not be considered. Cross References This section cited in 58 Pa. Code § 181.1 (relating to definitions).

§ 183.13. Penalties. (a) The penalties for violation of the law or this part is as follows: (1) Denial, revocation or suspension of license. (2) Monetary fines not exceeding $5,000 for each violation or forfeiture of purse, or both. (3) Suspension from one or more activities at o…

§ 183.130. Conflicting conditions. In the event there are conflicting published conditions and neither is withdrawn, the more favorable to the nominator shall govern. Cross References This section cited in 58 Pa. Code § 181.1 (relating to definitions).

§ 183.131. Overnight events, standards. The race secretary shall prescribe standards to determine whether a horse is qualified to race in overnight events at a meeting. Cross References This section cited in 58 Pa. Code § 181.1 (relating to definitions).

§ 183.132. Posting of overnight conditions. Condition books containing at least three days’ racing programs shall be available to horsemen at least 24 hours prior to taking declarations on races contained therein. Conditions for overnight events must be posted at least 18 hours b…

§ 183.133. Types of races to be offered. (a) In presenting a program of racing, the racing secretary shall use exclusively the following types of races: (1) Stakes and futurities. (2) Early closing and late closing events. (3) Conditioned races. (4) Claiming races. (5) Preferred …

§ 183.134. Dashes and heats. Any dash or any heat shall be considered as a separate race for the purpose of conditioned racing. Cross References This section cited in 58 Pa. Code § 181.1 (relating to definitions).

§ 183.135. Named races. Named races are not permitted except for the fastest horses at a meeting as set forth in § 183.133(e) (relating to types of races to be offered). Cross References This section cited in 58 Pa. Code § 181.1 (relating to definitions).

§ 183.136. Selection or drawing of horses. For all overnight events, starters and also eligibles shall be drawn by lot from those properly declared in, except that a race secretary must establish a preference system for races as provided for in § 183.200 (relating to preference).…

§ 183.137. Posting requirements. (a) Names of all horses shall be posted by gait with the following information: (1) Lifetime winnings. (2) Season’s winnings. (3) Winnings at the meeting. (4) Wins during the season. (5) Age, gait and sex. (6) Previous year’s earnings. (7) Date of…

§ 183.138. Rejection of declaration. (a) The racing secretary may reject the declaration on any horse whose eligibility certificate was not in his possession on the date the condition book is published. (b) The racing secretary may reject the declaration on any horse whose past p…

§ 183.139. Substitute and divided races. Substitute races may be provided for the program of each day and shall be so designated. Declarations in races not filling shall be posted. A substitute race or a race divided into two divisions shall be used only if regularly scheduled ra…

§ 183.140. Opportunities to race. A fair and reasonable racing opportunity shall be afforded both trotters and pacers in reasonable proportion from those available and qualified to race. Claiming races may be carded to the proportion of racing program of each week as the number o…

§ 183.141. Qualifying races. A horse winning a qualifying race shall not be deprived by reason of such performance of his right to start in an event limited to maidens. Cross References This section cited in 58 Pa. Code § 181.1 (relating to definitions).

§ 183.142. Horses prohibited from racing in overnight events. Any person named in paragraphs (1)—(5) or a member of his immediate family shall not race or permit or cause to be raced any horse in which he has any interest, either direct or indirect, at a racing meet conducted by …

§ 183.143. Supplemental purse payments. Supplemental purse payments made by a track after the termination of a meeting will be charged and credited to the winnings of any horse at the end of the racing year in which they are distributed, and will appear on the eligibility certifi…

CLAIMING RACES § 183.151. Claiming regulations and procedures. (a) A current member or associate member of the United States Trotting Association or a current licensee of this or another jurisdiction may claim any horse in a claiming race if the member, associate member or licens…

§ 183.152. Blood sample required where horse is claimed. (a) If claimant indicates on the claiming form that he desires a blood sample, a licensed veterinarian shall take immediately after the race in the paddock, a blood sample identified as being from the claimed horse. The sam…

STAKES AND FUTURITIES § 183.161. Filing conditions; bonds; nomination list; financial statement; forms; estimated purse. (a) The Rules of the United States Trotting Association shall govern, with the exception of Stakes and Futurities, established by statutes of the Commonwealth.…

NOMINATIONS AND SUSTAINING PAYMENTS § 183.171. Nominations and sustaining payments. United States Trotting Association Rule 12, Subsection 4, pertaining to Early Closing Events, Stakes and Futurities is incorporated herein and made a part hereof and shall govern matters related h…

STARTERS REQUIRED: SPLIT RACES § 183.181. Number of starters to be specified in overnight events; when race must be contested; declaration moneys. (a) Associations must specify how many starters are required for overnight events and after the condition is fulfilled, the event mus…

§ 183.182. Elimination heats or two divisions. (a) In any stake event or futurity where the number of horses declared in to start exceeds 14, the race may at the option of the association be raced in elimination heats or divisions. The association exercising such option, however,…

§ 183.183. Elimination plans. The rules of the United States Trotting Association shall govern. Cross References This section cited in 58 Pa. Code § 181.1 (relating to definitions).

§ 183.184. Overnight events. No more than eight horses shall be allowed to start in overnight events upon which there is pari-mutuel wagering. No horse shall be entered in more than one event on the same program except when the conditions of the race provide that it shall be cont…

DECLARATION TO START AND DRAWING HORSES § 183.191. Declaration. (a) The declaration time shall be 9 a.m. prevailing time. The association shall provide a locked box with an aperture through which declarations shall be deposited. (b) Declarations by mail or telegraph or telephone …

§ 183.192. Form of declaration. All declarations must: (1) Be made in writing on forms approved by the Commission. (2) Be signed by the owner or his authorized agent in writing, except as provided in Early Closing Events, Stakes and Futurities. (3) State the name, license number,…

§ 183.193. Responsibility of declaration box. The declaration box shall be the charge of the presiding judge. Cross References This section cited in 58 Pa. Code § 183.60 (relating to presiding judge).

§ 183.194. Declaration box and drawing of horses at extended pari-mutuel meetings. (a) The declaration box shall be opened by the presiding judge at the advertised time and the presiding judge will be responsible to see that at least one horseman or an official representative of …

§ 183.195. Certification of eligibility. The race secretary shall be responsible for certifying the eligibility of each horse to each race to the judges. Cross References This section cited in 58 Pa. Code § 183.60 (relating to presiding judge).

§ 183.196. Error in declaration. Where a horse properly declared, other than by telephone, is omitted from the race by error of the association, the horse may be added to the race but given the outside post position, provided however, that the error is discovered prior to the pub…

§ 183.197. Qualifying races. Declarations for overnight events shall be governed by the following: (1) Within 2 weeks of being declared in, a horse that has not raced previously at the gait chosen must go a qualifying race under the supervision of the presiding judge or an associ…

§ 183.198. Coupled entries. (a) When the starters in a race include two or more horses owned or trained by the same person, or trained in the same stable or by the same management, they shall be coupled as an ‘‘entry’’ and a wager on one horse in the ‘‘entry’’ shall be a wager on…

§ 183.199. Also eligibles. Not more than two horses may be drawn as also eligibles for a race and their positions shall be drawn along with the starters in the race. In the event one or more horses are excused by the judges, the also eligible horse or horses shall race and take t…

§ 183.2. Licensure. No person shall participate in the affairs of any association as director, officer, agent, or employe of such association without first receiving a license from the Commission. Nor shall any person participate in any harness horse race meet as an official, own…

§ 183.200. Preference. (a) Preference shall be given in all overnight events according to the last previous purse race of a horse during the current year. The preference date on a horse that has been programmed to race and then scratched is the date of the race from which he was …

§ 183.201. Steward’s List. (a) A horse may be placed on the Steward’s List if: (1) it is dangerous. (2) unmanageable. (3) sick. (4) lame. (5) unable to qualify. (6) otherwise unfit. (7) unable to meet the standards and guidelines of the judges. (b) The horse must be placed on the…